Here are the week 12 Fantasy Flavor Running Back Power Rankings. It’s getting tougher and tougher to find sleepers these days, and in this era of multi-dimensional backfields, it’s getting harder and harder to simply figure out who’ll get an adequate number of carries from week to week. There are more options to choose from based on more overall running backs getting touches, but finding good options isn’t always easy, we’ll do our best to help you sort it all out here.

Keep in mind that the power rankings, listed here, are based on year to date performance and not a reflection of your best options for week 12. Just below the power rankings are match up previews advising who should be better or worse than usual this week, based on their opponents. At the bottom, are the week 12 start rankings, that’s where you should look for help with your week 12 lineup decisions.

And here are the week 12 Fantasy RB start rankings; it’s the projected top 50 RBs in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the Thursday night game, so keep checking back for the rest.

All of the rankings will be up in time for you to get your Thursday’s lineups in, so keep checking back. You can use the links below to check all of the other positions; they’ll be activated as they become available.

Here are this week’s Fantasy Flavor Quarterback Power Rankings for week 12. There wasn’t a lot of movement within the top ten, and at this point in the season, barring injury, there likely won’t be. The bottom half of the top 20 is full of upstarts, rookies and fill ins. Both Tony Romo and Kyle Orton returned to action, and to the top 20 this week, and Shaun Hill has worked his way in as well, and could prove to be a valuable stretch run addition.

Keep in mind that the power rankings, listed here, are based on year to date performance and not a reflection of your best options for week 12. Just below the power rankings are match up previews advising who should be better or worse than usual this week, based on their opponents. At the bottom, are the week 12 start rankings, that’s where you should look for help with your week 12 lineup decisions.

And here are the week 12 Fantasy QB start rankings; it’s all 32 projected starters in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the Thursday night game, so keep checking back for the rest.

1. Peyton Manning (15)

2. Aaron Rodgers (21)

3. Jay Cutler (22)

4. Tony Romo (22)

5. Kurt Warner (29)

6. Shaun Hill (31)

7. Brady Quinn (31)

8. Drew Brees (35)

9. Eli Manning (36)

10. Phillip Rivers (40)

11. Matt Cassel (40)

12. Kyle Orton (42)

13. Tyler Thigpen (43)

14. Gus Frerotte (43)

15. Jeff Garcia (44)

16. Donavan McNabb (45)

17. Jason Campbell (48)

18. David Garrard (52)

19. Brett Favre (53)

20. Chad Pennington (57)

21. Sage Rosenfels (61)

22. Kerry Collins (61)

23. Matt Ryan (62)

24. Joe Flacco (64)

25. Jake Delhomme (68)

26. Ben Roethlisberger (69)

27. JaMarcus Russell (70) *about the same if it’s Walter or Tuisasopo

28. Trent Edwards (78)

29. Marc Bulger (78)

30. Ryan Fitzpatrick (81)

31. Daunte Culpepper (86)

32. Matt Hasselbeck (87)

All of the rankings will be up in time for you to get your Thursday’s lineups in, so keep checking back. You can use the links below to check all of the other positions; they’ll be activated as they become available.

There were no big surprises this week, unless you’re Donavan McNabb that is, especially at the top of the rankings. With every team now at 10 games into the season, we seem to be getting a pretty good idea of what the playoff picture will likely look like. The Giants and Titans are both certainly well on their way toward locking up home field advantage, while a handful of teams look to be staking their claims to the first overall draft pick as well. The AFC East, NFC North and NFC South all have bunches of good teams grouped together and fighting it out tooth and nail as the home stretch approaches, while teams like the Broncos and Cardinals are enjoying an inordinate amount of relative power based on the control that they have in their divisions.

1. Tennessee Titans (1) – 10-0 – The Titans are all but assured of their place in the postseason, and are starting to make teams respect their offense as at least somewhat multi-dimensional. An undefeated regular season is quietly becoming a possibility for this team. Next Week: vs. NYJ

2. New York Giants (2) – 9-1 – They may well be the best team in football, and they proved it again against the vaunted Ravens’ run defense on Sunday. Things are a little less certain for the Giants in comparison to Tennessee when it comes to controlling their division, but it will be of little consequence if the Giants keep playing like they have been. Next Week: @ AZ

3. Carolina Panthers (3) – 8-2 – Their win on Sunday against an overmatched Lions team was no thing of beauty, and Jake Delhomme continues to turn in bad passing performances against bad pass defenses. But the Panthers keep rolling along nonetheless. With two legitimate running threats, plus Steve Smith and that defense, these Panthers may be able to wait on Delhomme to shake off his funk. Next Week: @ ATL

4. Arizona Cardinals (4) – 7-3 – Lots of people still seem to be down on these Cardinals, and I’m not completely sure why. Their front 7 is as physical as any in football, Tim Hightower is breathing new life into the running game, and we all know what Kurt Warner and those receivers are capable of. They’re the best of a bad lot in the NFC West, but shouldn’t have to apologize for it. If anything they don’t travel well, all three of their losses came on east coast trips. They have 2 more trips East before the playoffs, and probably need to start thinking about playing into position for home field advantage. Next Week: vs. NYG

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5) – The Steelers just keep taking shot after shot from the toughest teams in the league, and continue to find ways to eek out wins. They appear to be in good shape to get into the playoffs, and will likely be one of the most battle tested squads once the playoffs arrive. Next Week: vs. CIN

6. New York Jets (6) – 7-3 – The Jets find themselves in good position despite a couple of losses that they’d like to have back. The AFC East is a logjam, and while no team seems to possess talent that’s head and shoulders above the rest, with Favre at the helm in comparison to Pennington, Edwards and Cassel, the Jets have to like their chances. Next Week: @ TEN

7. Denver Broncos (10) – 6-4 – I’ve been apologizing for the Broncos’ high position in the rankings despite their modest success for weeks. A come from behind rally in the 4th quarter against Cleveland, followed up by a win against a quality Falcons team on the road have solidified Denver’s position. They also enjoy the relative power of residing in the AFC West, and have a pretty clear path to the playoffs at this point. Next Week: vs. OAK

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11) – 7-3 – The Bucs find themselves in this enviable position despite their revolving door at QB. The road to success will get just a little bit tougher from here without the services of Earnest Graham. The return of Cadillac Williams appears to have happened just in time for Tampa, but we’ll have to wait and see if he’s able to shoulder the load. Next Week: @ DET

9. Indianapolis Colts (17) – 6-4 – Writing the Colts off in week 6 just seemed to be premature. Since the Titans seem to have run away with the division already, the Colts can focus clearly on the wildcard for their playoff hopes. Recent editions of the Colts, who clinched early and used subs to play out the regular season string, have failed in the playoffs. It was only when the Colts had to play down to the wire to get into the playoffs that they went on to win the Superbowl. Watch out for the Colts. Next Week: @ SD

10. Baltimore Ravens (8) – 6-4 – Although a loss to the Giants shouldn’t have been surprising to anyone, the manner in which the Ravens were dismantled by those Giants, and particular their running game, was shocking. The Ravens have clearly seen what it is that they aspire to be, as the Giants beat them soundly, while playing Baltimore’s brand of football. They’re still in good position for a playoff run, but the schedule will absolutely make it an uphill battle. Next Week: vs. PHI

11. Green Bay Packers (12) – 5-5 – They exorcised their demons against the Bears, who had been in the driver’s seat in the NFC North, and who gave the Packers 2 of their 3 losses last season. In doing so they created a logjam atop the division, and just in time, as the Packers may be hitting their stride right now as well. Next Week: @ NO

12. Washington Redskins (12) – 6-4 – The efficient offensive machine that Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell looked to have built just a few weeks ago, is in drastic need of a tune up. Talent-wise, the Redskins may be undermanned in comparison to the rest of their division, they had better get back to taking care of the ball, and playing good defense if they hope to make a run in the AFC East. Next Week: @ SEA

13. Chicago Bears (7) – 5-5 – Unless Kyle Orton can return to the form he had before his injury, the Bears will likely find themselves out of the running pretty quickly. The loss to the Packers was the first in which the Bears were beaten really soundly, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time, or against a worse opponent. Next Week: @ ST.L

14. Miami Dolphins (18) – 6-4 – There is absolutely no resemblance between this team and the one that won just a single game a year ago. In addition to breathing new life into the league, Miami’s “Wildcat Offense” has been widely regarded as their “gimmick” all season. Meanwhile the Dolphins are putting together a more than respectable attack in many other aspects of the game, but their overall improvements as a team seem to be somewhat overlooked in the shadow of the “Wildcat”.Next Week: vs. NE

15. New England Patriots (9) – 6-4 – New England let an important one get away against the Jets, and now may have their backs against the wall against a Dolphins team that has had their number for years. I’m sure that there’s fight left in these Patriots, but the road to a division title just got a whole lot bumpier. Next Week: @ MIA

16. Dallas Cowboys (20) – 6-4 – While they didn’t look good in doing it on Sunday, the Cowboys picked up a much needed win. Panic may have done to the locker room what no person had been able to figure out how to. Panic may have put the egos in check on this team and rallied them, if that’s the case, expect them to climb back up the rankings pretty quickly. Next Week: vs. SF

17. Minnesota Vikings (15) – 5-5 – The schedule may have been too much for Minnesota to overcome this season. While they aren’t out of it yet, their schedule won’t get any easier from here. With 6 games left, the NFC North is a three team dogfight, Minnesota seems to be the least likely to climb over the rest to get to the finish. Next Week: @ JAX

18. Atlanta Falcons (13) – 6-4 – It’s been a magical season so far for Mike Smith, Matt Ryan and the Falcons, but playing behind Tampa and Carolina in the AFC South may be the spoiler that ruins it. The Falcons will have their work cut out for them if they want to have a chance in the NFC. They’ve been up to the challenge so far, we’ll see if they can sustain it. Next Week: vs. CAR

19. San Diego Chargers (14) – 4-6 – As bad as they’ve been, the Chargers, if they were able to get things together, could still wrestle the division away from the Denver Broncos. With that said, the odds of them getting it together are getting longer by the week. Travel, injuries, tough breaks and coaching may be too much for even the most talented teams to overcome. Next Week: vs. IND

20. Philadelphia Eagles (16) – 5-4-1 – Based on their record, they could still be a factor in the playoff hunt, but based on their 0-3 record in the division, they’ll have a tough time pulling it off. They’ve been relatively healthy so far, but haven’t been able to take advantage as yet. Next Week: @ BAL

21. New Orleans Saints (23) – 5-5 – There’s no quit in these Saints, but unfortunately, there isn’t much defense either. The Return of Reggie Bush should breathe some life back into these Saints, but looking up at 3 teams in the division probably means that their fate is already sealed. Next Week: vs. GB

22. Cleveland Browns (22) – 4-6 – The Browns didn’t look like a team that had quit on Monday night, but they didn’t look like a team with much to be hopeful about either. The Brady Quinn era is underway in Cleveland, and that may have to be enough to keep the fans interested and Romeo Crennel employed. Next Week: vs. HOU

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (24) – 4-6 – The Jags put up a valiant effort in trying to end the Titans undefeated streak on Sunday, but in the end came up short. I’m not sure what it is that’s changed so much in Jacksonville from last season to this one, but I’m sure that a shake up is in order. How they finish the string in this disappointing season will likely be a good gauge of their character as a team. Next Week: vs. MIN

24. Houston Texans (25) – 3-7 – Another big effort from the Texans on Sunday, and another disappointing loss to show for it. It seemed that this season got off on a bad note for the Texans, and they were never able to recover from it. They do seem to be steadily improving week by week, and if they could ever get healthy they could be dangerous. Next Week: @ CLE

25. Buffalo Bills (21) – 5-5 – At 5-5 in the AFC East, the Bills are far from done mathematically. But as losers of 4 straight and 5 of their last 6 games, the Bills are in freefall, and could be lucky to salvage an 8-win season. Next Week: @ KC

26. San Francisco 49ers (26) – 3-7 – It was a long time coming, but the Niners got back into the win column on Sunday, and looked pretty good doing it. The jury’s still out on Mike Singletary as leader of a franchise, but Vernon Davis appears to have found his comfort zone after a rough start with the rookie coach. Next Week: @ DAL

27. Seattle Seahawks (27) – 2-8 – The return of Matt Hasselbeck didn’t necessarily mean the return of the Seahawks offense last week, but it should certainly make things a little bit better going forward at least. Now if they can just get some others healthy on offense, they might pick up a couple of wins. Next Week: vs. WAS

28. Cincinnati Bengals (30) – 1-8-1 – It wasn’t a loss, and holding the Eagles offense scoreless in overtime on Sunday is a big step for this Bengals defense. They’ve got some momentum now, we’ll see if it carries into Pittsburgh with them. Next Week: @ PIT

29. Kansas City Chiefs (28) – 1-9 – Tyler Thigpen is quietly becoming a real NFL quarterback. Given the limited receiving options that he has to choose from, that’s big news. If Larry Johnson is able to bring back an effective running game for the Chiefs they could give some teams some trouble. Next Week: vs. BUF

30. St. Louis Rams (29) – 2-8 – The Rams resurgence now appears to have been nothing more than a glimmer. Depending on how quickly Steven Jackson is able to get back on the field for these Rams, they could be simply left going through the motions from here out. Next Week: vs. CHI

31. Oakland Raiders (31) – 2-8 – The big news out of Oakland this week isn’t another firing, tirade or shakeup, it’s that Jim Fassel wants in as the head coach of the Raiders. Actually, the big news is that anybody wants to be the coach of the Raiders. Next Week: @ DEN

32. Detroit Lions (32) – 0-10 – I’m not sure why, but I wouldn’t bet against these Lions if they went into the Thanksgiving game with Tennessee winless, and the Titans undefeated. It’s probably because the spread will be off the charts. Good luck with the first pick overall Detroit. Next Week: vs. TB

And finally, in plenty of time to get your lineups in for tonight, here are the week 11 fantasy kicker rankings. Like defenses, kickers will frustrate you if you spent too early in the draft. Steady legends can fall off quickly, yet two guys grabbed from the scrap heap find themselves at the top of the yearly power rankings so far. The good news is, there are usually plenty to be found on the waiver wire, and if you play your match ups right, you can be successful rotating kickers weekly.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy K start rankings; it’s all 32 kickers in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. That’s all 6 positions, in plenty of time for tonight’s game.

1. Jason Elam (15)

2. Joe Nedney (16)

3. John Carney (21)

4. David Akers (21)

5. Garrett Holliday (26)

6. Mason Crosby (32)

7. Jay Feeley (33)

8. John Kasay (33)

9. Stephen Gostkowski (35)

10. Shaun Suisham (36)

11. Matt Bryant (39)

12. Rob Bironas (42)

13. Matt Prater (43)

14. Robbie Gould (44)

15. Neil Rackers (44)

16. Josh Brown (47)

17. Ryan Longwell (52)

18. Sebastian Janikowski (52)

19. Kris Brown (53)

20. Nate Kaeding (54)

21. Phil Dawson (54)

22. Rian Lindell (54)

23. Shayne Graham (65)

24. Jeff Reed (66)

25. Olindo Mare (67)

26. Connor Barth (69)

27. Josh Scobee (70)

28. Dan Carpenter (73)

29. Nick Folk (82)

30. Matt Stover (83)

31. Adam Vinatieri (87)

32. Jason Hanson (88)

Use the links at the bottom of the page for all of the rest of this week’s rankings. As always, keep an eye on the injury report and make adjustments accordingly, or call in to the show on Saturday from 4-7. And most importantly, good luck this week.

This is why you never want to spend early on defenses in the draft. While it’s safe to say that there are certain defenses that we can predict will be strong or weak from year to year, scoring fantasy points with your defense is something else altogether. Remember that the 2000 Ravens, regarded by many as the best in league history, didn’t score a defensive or special teams TD until week 17. While this season’s Packers, mostly overlooked in the draft have 8 TD between defense and special teams. Reggie Bush’s return should bring a boost to the Saints’ return game, whether he gets back into return duty this week or not is still in question though.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions

Remember that the power rankings listed here are a reflection of year to date performance only, and not an inducement of who to start this week. Check the list at the bottom of the column for this week’s start rankings.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy D/ST start rankings; it’s all 32 defenses in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the game tonight, so keep checking back.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (16)

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17)

3. New York Jets (24)

4. Carolina Panthers (25)

5. Arizona Cardinals (27)

6. Green Bay Packers (28)

7. Tennessee Titans (29)

8. Chicago Bears (30)

9. Miami Dolphins (32)

10. New York Giants (36)

11. Baltimore Ravens (41)

12. San Francisco 49ers (43)

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (44)

14. Minnesota Vikings (45)

15. Cleveland Browns (45)

16. Atlanta Falcons (47)

17. Dallas Cowboys (51)

18. Buffalo Bills (52)

19. New Orleans Saints (52)

20. Indianapolis Colts (57)

21. Oakland Raiders (62)

22. San Diego Chargers (62)

23. Seattle Seahawks (63)

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (64)

25. New England Patriots (65)

26. St. Louis Rams (66)

27. Washington Redskins (67)

28. Houston Texans (70)

29. Detroit Lions (74)

30. Kansas City Chiefs (75)

31. Cincinnati Bengals (87)

32. Denver Broncos (88)

Use the links at the bottom of the page for all of the rest of this week’s rankings. As always, keep an eye on the injury report and make adjustments accordingly, or call in to the show on Saturday from 4-7. And most importantly, good luck this week.

The big news this week when it comes to tight ends is that on the back of one decent performance, Todd Heap has finally broken into the power rankings. He’ll have a tough time staying there though after a match up with a tough Giants defense on Sunday. Derek Fine still remains an interesting proposition, after being blanked last week. Since it’s pretty much hit or miss when it comes to tight ends outside of the top 5 from week to week, Fine could still be an intriguing start for this week, in a favorable match up.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions

Remember that the power rankings listed here are a reflection of year to date performance only, and not an inducement of who to start this week. Check the list at the bottom of the column for this week’s start rankings.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy TE start rankings; it’s the top 40 projected tight ends in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the game tonight, so keep checking back.

Use the links at the bottom of the page for all of the rest of this week’s rankings. As always, keep an eye on the injury report and make adjustments accordingly, or call in to the show on Saturday from 4-7. And most importantly, good luck this week.

There aren’t a lot of surprises to be found on the wide receiver front, except that now that byes have all been wrapped up there’ll be plenty available to choose from. We’ll do what we can to help you find a good one if you’re in need this week. Marquee wide receivers have been surprisingly healthy as a group too, many have been disappointing, and a few nicked up, but those who made it out of the preseason okay seem to have held up well, outside of Seattle that is.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions.

Remember that the power rankings listed here are a reflection of year to date performance only, and not an inducement of who to start this week. Check the list at the bottom of the column for this week’s start rankings.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy WR start rankings; it’s the top 75 projected wide receivers in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the Thursday night game, so keep checking back for the rest.

1. Anquan Boldin (7)

2. Larry Fitzgerald (11)

3. Steve Smith (15)

4. Santana Moss (21)

5. Roddy White (25)

6. Greg Jennings (26)

7. Lee Evans (31)

8. Bernard Berrian (35)

9. Brandon Marshall (37)

10. Eddie Royal (39)

11. Calvin Johnson (40)

12. Reggie Wayne (40)

13. Hines Ward (40)

14. Laverneus Coles (46)

15. Andre Johnson (48)

16. DeSean Jackson (52)

17. Terrell Owens (54)

18. DeWayne Bowe (55)

19. Antonio Bryant (58)

20. Vincent Jackson (61)

21. Kevin Walter (62)

22. Chris Chambers (65)

23. Donnie Avery (65)

24. Mushin Muhammad (65)

25. Randy Moss (72)

26. DeVery Henderson (73)

27. Steve Breaston (73)

28. Nate Washington (76)

29. Malcolm Floyd (77)

30. TJ Houshmandzadeh (77)

31. Jerricho Cotchery (78)

32. Donald Driver (78)

33. Lance Moore (79)

34. Mark Bradley (79)

35. Plaxico Burress (80)

36. Issac Bruce (82)

37. Braylon Edwards (94)

38. Koren Robinson (94)

39. Matt Jones (97)

40. Santonio Holmes (98)

41. Marques Colston (99)

42. Wes Welker (100)

43. Kevin Curtis (100)

44. Reggie Brown (102)

45. Michael Jenkins (103)

46. Justin Gage (103)

47. Sinorice Moss (118)

48. Hank Baskett (118)

49. Antoine Randle-El (121)

50. Amani Toomer (121)

51. Chad Johnson (123)

52. Anthony Gonzalez (124)

53. Chansi Stuckey (124)

54. Greg Camarillo (125)

55. Sidney Rice (127)

56. Josh Morgan (128)

57. Roy Williams (134)

58. Ted Ginn Jr. (135)

59. Tory Holt (135)

60. Brandon Stokley (137)

61. Mark Clayton (139)

62. Marvin Harrison (140)

63. Patrick Crayton (140)

64. Bryant Johnson (140)

65. Rasheid Davis (140)

66. Jehereme Urban (145)

67. Devin Hester (152)

68. Ike Hilliard (152)

69. Mike Walker (157)

70. Bobby Wade (157)

71. Roscoe Parrish (157)

72. Derrick Stanley (159)

73. Marty Booker (160)

74. Jason Hill (160)

75. Donte Stallworth (160)

Check back tomorrow for the tight end, kicker, and defense rankings. And use the links below for this week’s quarterback and running back rankings too. And as always, good luck this week.

The returns of Reggie Bush, and possibly Cadillac Williams and maybe even Tatum Bell could be a few of the highlights of this week’s running back rankings. The good thing about having Tatum Bell on your fantasy team is that you don’t have to worry about him stealing from the lockers of the rest of your team. With the majority of teams now using two or even three back schemes now, there’s pretty much always going to be value on the waiver wire. The key is finding it. We’ll do our best to help your prospecting efforts, or just to sort out those lineup decisions for week 11.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions.

Remember that the power rankings listed here are a reflection of year to date performance only, and not an inducement of who to start this week. Check the list at the bottom of the column for this week’s start rankings.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy RB start rankings; it’s the top 50 projected running backs in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the Thursday night game, so keep checking back for the rest.

1. Brian Westbrook (16)

2. Reggie Bush (17)

3. Michael Turner (19)

4. Matt Forte (20)

5. Frank Gore (22)

6. Clinton Portis (23)

7. Ronnie Brown (32)

8. Adrian Peterson (33)

9. DeAngelo Williams (35)

10. Thomas Jones (36)

11. Chris Johnson (39)

12. Steven Jackson (41)

13. Marion Barber (45)

14. Brandon Jacobs (46)

15. Steve Slaton (47)

16. Marshawn Lynch (47)

17. Maurice Jones-Drew (50)

18. LenDale White (51)

19. Tim Hightower (52)

20. Willie Parker (53) *keep an eye on his injury status

21. Joseph Addai (60)

22. LaDanian Tomlinson (62)

23. Jamal Lewis (62)

24. Mewelde Moore (67) *put him in Parker’s spot if Parker can’t play

25. Ernest Graham (69)

26. Jerious Norwood (69)

27. Deuce McAllister (71)

28. Willis McGahee (73)

29. BenJarvis Green-Ellis (77)

30. Kevin Smith (78)

31. Dominic Rhodes (78)

32. Ricky Williams (78)

33. Ahman Green (79)

34. Julius Jones (80)

35. Kevin Faulk (83)

36. Cedric Benson (83)

37. Ryan Grant (89)

38. LeRon McClain (91)

39. Correll Buckhalter (92)

40. Derrick Ward (94)

41. Jonathan Stewart (95) *injury risk, watch his status

42. Edgerin James (97)

43. Tatum Bell (101) * bump him 5 spots or so if they name him the starter

44. Antonio Pittman (101)

45. Selvin Young (102) * injury risk, watch his status

47. Justin Fargas (102)

47. Patrick Cobbs (102)

48. Chester Taylor (107)

49. Leon Washington (110)

50. Ray Rice (111)

I’ll make sure to get all of the Positional Rankings out in time to help with your Thursday night lineup decisions. Use the links below for the other positions. If they’re not active yet, keep checking back.

We’re really starting to see where the power lies now when it comes to quarterbacks. All of last week’s top 9 remained there, with a slight bit of scrambling within the ranks. Injuries have kept the waiver wire hot for owners not fortunate enough to have one of the top 5 or 6, or not willing to part with the talent necessary to trade for one.

There’ll be more of the same this week, with at least 3 quarterbacks likely to be available on your waiver wire worthy of consideration. That’s good news too, if you’ve been getting by with those in the bottom half of this week’s power rankings.

Remember that we’re listing 3 separate areas of evaluation in each Positional Power Rankings blog. The power rankings, listed first, are a year to date assessment of the top 20 at each position. Under those, are listings advising who should be a little bit better or worse than usual, based on their match up this week. And finally, at the bottom of each blog is the formulary start rankings, which is gotten using the “Secret Fantasy Flavor Formula”. It’s two parts year to date performance, one part opponents’ defensive performance, with adjustments for injuries, anomalies, and playing time changes.

Remember, none of this is gospel. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be fun to play the games. With that said, we’re very proud of our track record so far, and suggest that you use these and as many other resources as you can find, in order to formulate your own opinions. After all, it’s you who has to live with your lineup decisions.

Remember that the power rankings listed here are a reflection of year to date performance only, and not an inducement of who to start this week. Check the list at the bottom of the column for this week’s start rankings.

And here are the week 11 Fantasy QB start rankings; it’s all 32 projected starters in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better. We’ll get all of the positional rankings out to you in time for the Thursday night game, so keep checking back for the rest.

I’ll make sure to get all of the Positional Rankings out in time to help with your Thursday night lineup decisions. Use the links below for the other positions. If they’re not active yet, keep checking back.

With each passing week, we seem to get more and more clarity as to the likely playoff picture. When it comes to power, sitting atop a mediocre division at this point in the season is probably a much better place to be than to have just one or two losses in a tightly packed division full of playoff proven talent. Once the playoffs arrive however, power shifts again, based on match ups, home field advantages and fist round byes. But the first key is getting there.

The Titans and Cardinals both enjoy the biggest divisional leads, while the Giants, as impressive as anyone only sit 2 games in front of their ultra competitive division. The Chargers, Broncos and Cardinals all owe a lot of their high rankings to a still very good chance at making the playoffs. While the Bucs, Falcons, Eagles, Redskins, Bills, Dolphins and others find themselves a bit lower than they would have been if not for the competitive landscapes of their divisions.

There wasn’t a great deal of shake up in the rankings this week, but there are many divisional races still very much in the balance. As I said, more and more clarity seems to come to the playoff picture with each passing week, and teams seemingly trending in opposite directions are starting to find themselves getting closer and closer together in the rankings.

1. Tennessee Titans (1) – 9-0 – They’ve certainly found themselves a home at the top of the rankings, and at 9-0 who’s going to argue? There hasn’t been a lot of talk of another challenger to the Dolphins perfect season, but with 7 games left, and the Jags, Lions, Browns and Texans in 4 of them, it could be up to the Steelers, Colts or Jets to try and end their chance before the playoffs begin. Next Week: @ JAX

2. New York Giants (2) – 8-1 – The Giants are proving that last year’s playoffs weren’t lightning in a bottle, but rather a glimpse of the machine that they were to become. They survived a tough one last week, but it looks like they’ll have mostly punishing physical defenses to face on the remaining schedule. Next Week: vs. BAL

3. Carolina Panthers (4) – 7-2 – They in themselves in control of one of the most competitive divisions in the league, and still look like they’re capable of playing much better football. The Panthers are taking winning ugly to another level, but winning is winning. They’ll get a chance to get rolling against Detroit this week before a big divisional rematch with the Falcons. Next Week: vs. DET

4. Arizona Cardinals (3) – 6-3 – The Cards dodged a bullet on Monday night, but sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. With a 4 game division lead with 7 games to go, the Cards are sitting even prettier than Tennessee when it comes to controlling their division. Once the playoffs start, anything can happen, the Cards look all but assured to be there. Next Week: @ SEA

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5) – 6-3 – Injuries, a brutal schedule and a short week all appear to be wearing on Pittsburgh just a bit, and let’s give the Colts a little credit too. Although the Ravens are too close for the Steelers comfort, they are in still in the driver’s seat, at least for now. Next Week: vs. SD

6. New York Jets (10) – The AFC East may not wind up being quite as competitive as it looked just a couple of weeks ago. The Jets have a schedule that could work to their favor down the stretch, and a win this week could put them squarely in the front of the division. Next Week: @ NE

7. Chicago Bears (6) – 5-4 – There’s no such thing as a good loss, but you could call their performance against the Titans a respectable loss none the less, especially without their starting QB. If the Bears can stay the course, they’ll be in good shape, consistency seems to be sorely lacking throughout the NFC North. Next Week: @ GB

8. Baltimore Ravens (11) – 6-3 – You can’t call them rookies anymore. Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh have started the second half of their shared rookie season, looking savvier than many of their counterparts around the league. The schedule provided Flacco and this offense a chance to get themselves on track before getting into the make or break part of the string. The coming weeks will tell us all a lot about what type of team this is going to be when the going gets tough. Next Week: @ NYG

9. New England Patriots (12) – 6-3 – It may be a new cast of characters, but it’s the same old story for Bill Bellichick and the “no-name” Patriots. The rest of the AFC has to be holding their breath and hoping that the Pats simply fade away before the playoffs roll around. Next Week: vs. NYJ

10. Denver Broncos (9) – 5-4 – Let’s face it, they’re not that good, but at times, at least on offense they can be deadly. In any other division in the AFC, the Broncos would likely be looking ahead to next year already, but in the AFC West they are in firm control. If they can find a spark through either the defense or the running game, they could be dangerous once the playoffs roll around. Next Week: @ ATL

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7) – 6-3 – The Bucs dropped 4 spots in a bye week? It’s mostly because all of a sudden, this division looks like the most dangerous in football from top to bottom. And although the Saints may have played themselves out of contention already, picking a winner in this division could be impossible as we head down the stretch. Next Week: vs. MIN

12. Washington Redskins (8) – 6-3 – They’ve been efficient but not flashy in their wins, and have looked really bad in their losses. Just when it looked like this team had finally figured out that they needed more substance and less flash, they go out and grab DeAngelo Hall. The NFC East is looking more and more like the AL East these days. Next Week: vs. DAL

13. Atlanta Falcons (17) – 6-3 – Okay, I’ve been down on them all year, and they continue to simply go out and execute. At this point, in 6 of the other 7 divisions in football, I’d be ready to count them in the playoffs, but things are still pretty scrambled up in the NFC South, and the Falcons just keep rolling along. Next Week: vs. DEN

14. San Diego Chargers (16) – 4-5 – Injuries and more likely Norv Turner will probably be too much for this team to overcome this season, but they’ve played with their backs to the wall before, and gotten into the playoffs. Since the Broncos haven’t been able to build any distance in the race, the Chargers are still in the hunt. Next Week: @ PIT

15. Minnesota Vikings (20) – 5-4 – They picked up a big divisional win last week, and evened their season series with the Packers in the process. They’ll have a chance to do the same against the Bears in a couple of weeks. The schedule sends lots of run oriented teams their way down the stretch, this could play right into the Vikings’ hands. Next Week: @ TB

16. Philadelphia Eagles (13) – 5-4 – They may be better than their record indicates, but they still don’t seem to be able to keep it together consistently. This is a team that has to win games when everyone is healthy if they hope to have a shot at the playoffs. Next Week: @ CIN

17. Indianapolis Colts (19) – 5-4 – I’m finished predicting that the Colts finally look like they’ve rounded into form, They can’t consistently run the ball or stop the run on defense. Occasionally they’ll be able to throw enough to beat teams and look good doing it. Without a consistent running game though, Peyton Manning looks surprisingly human. Next Week: vs. HOU

18. Miami Dolphins (18) – 5-4 – With their wildcat offense, Sparano and these Dolphins have injected a new brand of excitement into the league this year. They’ve also quietly inserted themselves into the AFC East race in the process. Next Week: vs. OAK

19. Green Bay Packers (14) – 4-5 – The Packers have had opportunities to beat good teams, and they simply haven’t been able to do it. They have enough talent to be a factor in the race, but they’d better get rolling pretty quickly. Next Week: vs. CHI

20. Dallas Cowboys (21) – 5-4 – Maybe a week of rest, and the likely return of Tony Romo can rescue this team from their freefall. If not the soap opera that is the Dallas Cowboys will certainly get a lot more interesting. Next Week: @ WAS

21. Buffalo Bills (15) – 5-4 – Three straight losses can bring to light a lot of the issues that were already there, but overlooked because of the Bills’ success. Not only are the Bills in crash and burn mode at this point, but they’re being dominated in their division too. That will make it tough to be a factor in an already tight divisional race. Next Week: vs. CLE

22. Cleveland Browns (24) – 3-6 – Perhaps we are finding out that it’s more than just a deficiency of talent that’s holding the Browns back. We all remember the offense from last season, and the defense is clearly improved this season. So why can’t the Browns seem to win? Perhaps a heart transplant is in order, or possibly an enema. Next Week: @ BUF

23. New Orleans Saints (22) – 4-5 – There may be no bigger disappointment in all of football than this year’s Saints. Injuries seemingly have a lot to do with it, but there’s more to it than that. The Saints just haven’t seemed to be able to figure out how to win. They’re running out of time to do it this year. Next Week: @ KC

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (26) – 4-5 – A win against the Lions is hardly a good reason to declare this team back. But the talent that they showcased in that win should serve as a reminder of why the Jags can be dangerous. Spoiler is likely all they can hope to be at this point. Next Week: vs. TEN

25. Houston Texans (23) – 3-6 – Regardless of how these Texans wind up in the win column, the job that they’ve done under the circumstances that they’ve been dealt has been admirable. There wasn’t an abundance of talent on this team to begin with; the fact that they’ve kept fighting when seemingly more talented teams look like they’ve packed it in is refreshing. Next Week: @ IND

26. San Francisco 49ers (27) – 2-7- They put up a valiant effort on the road on Monday when the chips were way down and they appeared greatly overmatched. Although Mike Singletary is entertaining, and clearly passionate, what type of effect he’ll actually have on this team is yet a mystery. Next Week: vs. ST.L

27. Seattle Seahawks (29) – 2-7- They performed well after a daunting cross-country trip last week, but still came up short. The Seahawks look like they’re phoning it in after the frustration of a slow start, and a number of injuries. They’ll get up to play a few more games this season, the ones that hey believe they can win, but an overhaul is in order in Seattle. Next Week: vs. AZ

28. Kansas City Chiefs (28) – 1-8 – They’re beaten up and battered, undermanned and may have lost confidence in their ability to win. But the Chiefs just keep on trying, and growing and fighting. They’ll be overmatched in most weeks, but the Chiefs are no easy draw, by any means. Next Week: vs. NO

29. St. Louis Rams (25) – 2-7 – A few weeks ago it looked like Jim Haslett was the answer to what was troubling the Rams. Now, it looks more like Scott Linnehan was offered as a scapegoat, and the Rams did their best to make it look like he had been the problem. Obviously there are a number of problems to be dealt with in St. Louis. Next Week: @ SF

30. Cincinnati Bengals (30) – If the bye week didn’t kill their momentum, then they’ll have something to build on this week. The Bengals have too much individual pride to just mail it in, but until they put their individuality on the back burner, they’ll likely have a lot more challenges ahead. Next Week: vs. PHI

31. Oakland Raiders (31) – 2-7 – A rebuilding effort appears to be in order in Oakland, but it appears it will have to happen from the top down, and not the other way around. That won’t likely happen until Al Davis becomes too old to be such a nuisance. Next Week: @ MIA

32. Detroit Lions (32) – 0-9 – The Lions are running out of chances to pick up their first win. Even the Thanksgiving Day Game, which is usually a good show for Detroit will be against the Titans this year. If things get really bleak after that, maybe they’ll forfeit their week 15 match up with Indy and put everything they have into getting ready for the Saints in Week 16. Next Week: @ CAR